Interleukin-18 levels reflect the long-term prognosis of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the blood levels of interleukin (IL)-18 measured in the early stage of acute respiratory failure and the prognosis for patient survival.

Methods

The study subjects were 38 patients with acute respiratory failure treated at our institution during the 4-year period from April 2004 to March 2008. The underlying clinical condition was defined as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS; n?=?12) or acute lung injury (ALI; n?=?26). The serum levels of interleukin (IL)-18, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Results

The ARDS group showed significantly higher serum levels of IL-18, IL-12, and TNF-α even at an early stage after disease onset compared with the ALI group. A negative correlation was noted between the PaO₂/FIO₂ ratio (P/F ratio) and serum IL-18 level. Analysis of all 38 patients with ALI/ARDS revealed a 30-day mortality rate of 7.9?%, 60-day mortality rate of 15.8?%, and 90-day mortality rate of 18.4?%. The early-stage serum levels of IL-18, IL-12, and TNF-α were significantly higher in the non-survivors at 60 and 90?days, but not at 30?days, than in the corresponding survivors.

Conclusion

The present data demonstrate an inverse correlation between serum IL-18 level and the P/F ratio, suggesting the possible involvement of IL-18 in the pathogenesis of respiratory failure in patients with ALI/ARDS. Early-stage serum IL-18, IL-12, and TNF-α levels appear to reflect the >60-day prognosis in patients with ALI/ARDS.     

Early and late outcomes of coronary artery bypass surgery versus percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents for dialysis patients

Abstract Background: Advances in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug‐eluting stents (DES) have impacted clinical practice. However, the efficacy of DES for dialysis patients still remains controversial. This study compares the early and long‐term clinical outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and PCI with DES in dialysis patients. Methods: A retrospective review was performed in 125 dialysis patients treated between 2004 and 2007. Fifty‐eight patients underwent CABG and 67 underwent PCI with DES. The overall death, cardiac death, and cardiac‐related event rates were analyzed using the Kaplan‐Meier method. For the risk‐adjusted comparisons, multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses were used. Results: The preoperative characteristics of the patients were similar except for the ejection fraction (p = 0.002) and the number of diseased vessels (p < 0.001). The 30‐day mortality was 0 in both groups. The overall survival rates at one, three, and five years were 84.2%, 64.7%, and 56.2% in CABG group and 88.2%, 75.5%, and 61.7% in DES group, respectively (p = 0.202). The rates of freedom from cardiac‐related events at one, three, and five years were 76.6%, 68.1%, and 48.6%, and 63.0%, 31.4%, and 0% in CABG and DES groups (p < 0.001), respectively, including seven (10%) late thromboses in the DES group. Although the risk‐adjusted analysis showed no significant difference for overall and cardiac death rates, the rates of cardiac‐related events and graft/stent failure were significantly higher in the DES group. Conclusions: CABG is superior for revascularization in dialysis patients compared with PCI using DES in terms of freedom from cardiac‐related events. (J Card Surg 2012;27:281‐287)     

Aortopexy with tracheal reconstruction for postoperative tracheomalacia in congenital tracheal stenosis

PurposeCongenital tracheal stenosis is a rare condition and can be difficult to manage. One source of difficulty is postoperative tracheomalacia requiring long-term tracheal stenting. To prevent symptomatic postoperative tracheomalacia, we have been adding aortopexy to tracheal reconstruction since 2008. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy of aortopexy for preventing postoperative tracheomalacia after reconstruction of congenital tracheal stenosis.MethodsRetrospective chart review was conducted. From October 2003 to March 2011, 24 had tracheal reconstruction without aortopexy (group A) and 8 with aortopexy (group B). Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's Exact test.ResultsOne had anastomotic leakage in group A, and 1, in group B (P = .44). Eleven patients required tracheostomy because of postoperative tracheomalacia confirmed by postoperative bronchoscopy in group A vs none in group B (P = .029).ConclusionsWe found that aortopexy with tracheal reconstruction reduced the need for postoperative tracheostomy in this patient group. Although there is a potential risk of anastomotic leakage because of the suspension suture on the anterior tracheal wall to aorta, we did not detect an increased incidence after aortopexy. Thus, aortic suspension may be a useful adjunct to prevent symptoms of tracheomalacia in these patients.     

A model to evaluate toxic factors influencing islets during collagenase digestion: the role of serine protease inhibitor in the protection of islets

The recovery of all of the islets contained in a pancreas is the goal of islet isolation for transplantation. This study reveals an environment that injures the isolated islets during digestion and proposes a new model for optimal islet isolation. Islets were isolated from Wistar rat pancreases by stationary collagenase digestion while the digestion time was varied at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min. The digested pancreas and islets were analyzed histologically and adenosine nucleotides were measured. Overnight cultured islets (40 islets) were cocultured for 30 min with the supernatants obtained from pancreatic collagenase digestion at different digestion periods in order to assess the toxic environment. The peak yields of islets were obtained at 30 min of digestion. The histological study of digested pancreas showed that the exocrine cells lost their cellular integrity at 120 min of digestion, but the islet cells were left intact. Accordingly, the ATP levels of the pancreatic tissue decreased during the digestion period. The coculture experiment demonstrated that the islets cultured with the supernatants from the collagenase digestion showed digestion time-dependent disruption of the cellular integrity of islets in accordance with a rapid decrease of ATP levels in the islets. The addition of serine protease inhibitors into this coculture clearly showed protection of islets, which maintained high ATP levels in association with intact membrane integrity as assessed by AO/PI staining. Morphological deterioration of islets as well as a marked ATP decrease was evident in the entire digested pancreas as well as in islets cocultured in the supernatants from the collagenase digestion. Various factors toxic to the islets can therefore be analyzed in future experiments using this coculture model for obtaining a good yield of viable islets.     

Strategy for prevention of hip fractures in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Hypovitaminosis D and K due to malnutrition or sunlight deprivation,increased bone resorption due to immobilization,low bone mineral density(BMD)and an increased risk of falls may contribute to an increased risk of hip fractures in patients with Parkinson’s disease.The purpose of the present study was to clarify the efficacy of interventions intended to prevent hip fractures in elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease.Pub Med was used to search the literature for randomized controlled trials(RCTs)regarding Parkinson’s disease and hip fractures.The inclusion criteria were 50 or more subjects per group and a study period of 1 year or longer.Five RCTs were identified and the relative risk and95%confidence interval were calculated for individual RCTs.Sunlight exposure increased serum hydroxyvitamin D[25(OH)D]concentration,improved motor function,decreased bone resorption and increased BMD.Alendronate or risedronate with vitamin D supplementation increased serum 25(OH)D concentration,strongly decreased bone resorption and increased BMD.Menatetrenone(vitamin K2)decreased serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin concentration,decreased bone resorption and increased BMD.Sunlight exposure(men and women),menatetrenone(women),alendronate and risedronate with vitamin D supplementation(women)significantly reduced the incidence of hip fractures.The respective RRs(95%confidence intervals)according to the intention-to-treat analysis were 0.27(0.08,0.96),0.13(0.02,0.97),0.29(0.10,0.85)and 0.20(0.06,0.68).Interventions,including sunlight exposure,menatetrenone and oral bisphosphonates with vitamin D supplementation,have a protective effect against hip fractures elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease.     

Regenerating the fibula with beta-tricalcium phosphate minimizes morbidity after fibula resection

The aim of this study was to assess the radiologic and clinical outcome when beta-tricalcium phosphate is used as a bone graft substitute to backfill the fibular defect that is created by harvesting the fibula. Fourteen patients who had fibula resections to be used as bone grafts for bone tumor resections were assessed radiographically. Callus formation bridging the beta-tricalcium phosphate was seen in 12 of 14 patients at an average of 1.4 months after surgery. In these 12 patients the beta-tricalcium phosphate mostly was absorbed and replaced by newly formed bone at an average of 9.3 months after surgery. In all children, beta-tricalcium phosphate was replaced by newly formed bone at an average of 3.2 months after surgery. Only one adult patient had complete regeneration of the fibula. Few patients had continuity between the regenerated fibula and the native fibula. In one patient in whom free vascularized fibula was harvested, regeneration of the fibula was not observed. Clinical functional outcome was not correlated with successful fibula regeneration and union with the native fibula, as determined using radiographs. The results of the study suggest that, in children, regeneration of the fibula by implanting beta-tricalcium phosphate into a bone defect can reduce morbidity of the fibula harvest sites.     

Effect of flumazenil on recovery from sevoflurane anesthesia in children premedicated with oral midazolam before undergoing herniorrhaphy with or without caudal analgesia

Purpose Oral midazolam is frequently used to treat children, but its effect on recovery from anesthesia is controversial. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of flumazenil on reversal of midazolam during recovery from sevoflurane-induced anesthesia in children who underwent caudal analgesia compared to those who did not.Methods A series of 60 children 1–8 years of age, with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of 1 or 2, who were scheduled to undergo herniorrhaphy were randomly assigned to one of four groups: group 1, control/placebo; group 2, control/flumazenil; group 3, caudal/placebo; group 4, caudal/flumazenil. After oral administration of midazolam 0.5 mg · kg⁻¹, anesthesia was induced and maintained with sevoflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen via a face mask with spontaneous ventilation. The time from the discontinuation of anesthetics to emergence was recorded, and at the time of discharge from the operating room each patient’s recovery characteristics were assessed using a three-point scale.Results Emergence from anesthesia was significantly less agitated in the group of children who underwent caudal analgesia without flumazenil compared to the other three groups. Flumazenil shortened the time to emergence regardless of the application of caudal analgesia, and caudal analgesia delayed the time to emergence regardless of flumazenil administration.Conclusion Caudal analgesia and avoiding the use of flumazenil synergistically resulted in the emergence from anesthesia in a less agitated state for children who underwent herniorrhaphy after oral midazolam premedication.This study was presented in part at the International Anesthesia Research Society’s 77th Clinical and Scientific Congress, New Orleans, March 22, 2003     

Involvement of oxidative stress in the accelerated formation of pentosidine in patients with end-stage renal failure

SUMMARY: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been found to accumulate in the amyloid deposits, skin and plasma of haemodialysis patients (HD), implicating the possible involvement of AGE-modified protein in pathogenesis in dialysis-related amyloidosis. Pentosidine, an AGE cross-link, is a specific marker for AGEs. Plasma pentosidine levels in HD patients were increased dramatically. In the present study, plasma pentosidine, fructoselysine, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) levels were measured to elucidate the role of oxidative stress in pentosidine formation in nondiabetic HD patients. Plasma pentosidine did not correlate with fructoselysine; plasma AOPP levels were significantly higher than those in normal subjects (201.45 ± 57.93 vs. 55.91 ± 6.57 μmol/L, P <0.001) and correlated positively with plasma pentosidine in HD patients ( r =0.52, P <0.005); plasma GSHPx levels were significantly lower than those in normal subjects (168.40 ± 65.08 vs. 348.87 ± 86.10 U/I, P <0.001) and correlated negatively with plasma pentosidine ( r =0.54, P <0.001) in HD patients. Decreased GSHPx levels may lead to the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide. These findings implicate the involvement of oxidative stress in the accelerated formation of pentosidine in uraemia and suggest that pentosidine could be considered as an oxidative stress biomarker to estimate the degree of oxidative-stress-mediated protein damage.     

Postoperative compartment syndrome in a patient with acute aortic dissection (DeBakey type I)

We report a case of compartment syndrome caused by femoral arterial cannulation during cardiopulmonary bypass. A 62-year-old man who had been diagnosed as acute aortic dissection (type I) received a operation of partial arch replacement with reconstruction of brachiocephalic and left carotid arteries. Compartment syndrome was noticed just after the operation, which was caused by long-term ischemia during femoral arterial cannulation combined with poor collateral circulation by the dissection of iliac arteries. The emergency fascitomy was performed, therefore, he could be discharged without any complications. It is concluded that in case of acute aorte aortic dissection, the back-flow of blood should be checked at the time of femoral arterial cannulation, and whenever the back-flow is poor, some procedures should be added to increase distal blood flow.     

Aortic root replacement by cryopreserved homogrft for prosthetic valve detachment case due to aortitis

We present a surgical case of a 35-year-old man with aortitis. He had been performed the reconstruction of the right common carotid artery with a saphenous vein graft at 23 years old for his ruptured aneurysm by aortitis. The aortic valve replacement and CABG (LITA to LAD, SVG to D1 and SVG to RCA) were performed for aortic regurgitation and aneurysms of coronary arteries two years ago. The diastolic murmur was first heard at 18 months after the operation. The echocardiography on admission showed an abnormal movement of the prosthetic valve with perivalvular leakage. At the second operation, the valve dehiscence was observed. Although the tissues around the dehiscence was friable and edematous, there wre no signs of vegetation nor abscess formation. His aortic root was replaced with a cryopreserved aortic allograft conduit. His postoperative course was uneventful and aortography revealed neither aortic regurgitation nor stenosis of the coronary artery or SVGs. We think the softness of the allograft valve ring is favorable in valve detachment cases due to not only infection but also aortitis, to prevent redetachment.